What Are The Healthy Benefits From Olive Oil?

Made from crushed and pressed olives, olive oil is a staple of a Mediterranean diet and is used in cooking, dressings and marinades. High in beneficial monounsaturated fatty acids and polyphenols, olive oil has been the topic of scientific research to investigate its myriad health-boosting benefits, from heart health to blood sugar control and cancer prevention.

Heart Health

According to the Mayo Clinic, consuming two tablespoons of olive oil daily can help lower cholesterol, which may help prevent heart disease. Nutritionist Katherine Zeratsky, R.D., L.D, states that substituting "virgin" or "extra virgin" olive oil for other fats is can incorporate the polyphenols thought to be responsible for olive oil's heart health benefits into your diet without adding extra calories that can lead to weight gain.

Further evidence of olive oil's heart-protecting benefits was found in a March 2007 study published in "Clinical Cardiology." Researchers found that using olive oils exclusively during food preparation "seems to offer significant protection against" coronary heart disease and lowered the likelihood of having an acute coronary syndrome.

Blood Pressure

In a study published in the October 2004 issue of "The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition," Greek researchers found that, along with a diet high in fruits and vegetables, olive oil was beneficial in reducing both systolic and diastolic blood pressure. While the study included the consumption of vegetables often used in conjunction with olive oil, the results "indicated that olive oil has the dominant beneficial effect on arterial blood pressure."

Diabetes

According to the European Food Information Council, researchers at the University of Jaen are working on a hypothesis that olive oil can "change the balance of the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system active components," a finding that might explain olive oil's beneficial effect on diabetics.

According to an article written for the December 2003 issue of "Diabetes Voice," author Elena Leon Carralafuente states that olive oil may help diabetics keep blood sugar levels close to those of a person without the condition.

Colon Cancer

According to a 2006 Italian study published in the Oxford Journal's "Annals of Oncology," researchers concluded that olive oil may help lower the risk of colon cancer.

In another study published in 2000 in the "Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health," researchers found that olive oil may help prevent colon cancer by inhibiting the progression of normal intestinal cells to precancerous and cancerous cells.